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Entry Dynamics and Acoustics/Infrasonic/Seismic Analysis for the Neuschwanstein Meteorite Fall

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Entry Dynamics and Acoustics/Infrasonic/Seismic Analysis for the Neuschwanstein Meteorite Fall Meteoritics & Planetary Science 39, Nr 10, 1605–1626 (2004) Abstract available online at http://meteoritics.org Entry dynamics and acoustics/infrasonic/seismic analysis for the Neuschwanstein meteorite fall D. O. REVELLE,1* P. G. BROWN,2 and P. SPURN›3 1Los Alamos National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1663, MS D401, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA 2Canada Research Chair in Meteor Science, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada 3Ondrejov Observatory, Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 251 65 Ondrejov, Czech Republic *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] (Received 3 November 2003; revision accepted 9 April 2004) Abstract–We have analyzed several types of data associated with the well-documented fall of the Neuschwanstein meteorites on April 6, 2002 (a total of three meteorites have been recovered). This includes ground-based photographic and radiometer data as well as infrasound and seismic data from this very significant bolide event (Spurn˝ et al. 2002, 2003). We have also used these data to model the entry of Neuschwanstein, including the expected dynamics, energetics, panchromatic luminosity, and associated fragmentation effects. In addition, we have calculated the differential efficiency of acoustical waves for Neuschwanstein and used these values to compare against the efficiency calculated using available ground-based infrasound data. This new numerical technique has allowed the source height to be determined independent of ray tracing solutions. We have also carried out theoretical ray tracing for a moving point source (not strictly a cylindrical line emission) and for an infinite speed line source. In addition, we have determined the ray turning heights as a function of the source height for both initially upward and downward propagating rays, independent of the explicit ray tracing (detailed propagation path) programs. These results all agree on the origins of the acoustic emission and explicit source heights for Neuschwanstein for the strongest infrasonic signals. Calculated source energies using more than four different independent approaches agree that Neuschwanstein was certainly <500 kg in initial mass, given the initial velocity of 20.95 km/s, resulting in an initial source energy ≤0.0157–0.0276 kt TNT equivalent (4.185 × 1012 J). Local source energies at the calculated infrasonic/seismic source altitudes are up to two orders of magnitude smaller than this initial source energy. INTRODUCTION accomplished only six times before (cf. BoroviËka et al. 2003a)—the orbit of the Neuschwanstein meteorite is The Neuschwanstein meteorite fall occurred at 20:20 UT exceptional in that it is identical to the Pribram meteorite fall on April 6, 2002. The bright fireball that accompanied the of April 7, 1959 (Spurn˝ et al. 2002). This unusual situation is meteorite fall was widely observed in southern Germany, further complicated by the fact that the Neuschwanstein Austria, and the Czech Republic. Of particular interest are the meteorite is an EL chondrite, unlike the Pribram meteorite, photographic recordings of the fireball made from several which was an H chondrite. These data strongly support the German, Czech, and Austrian stations of the European contention of Halliday et al. (1990) concerning the existence fireball network (Spurn˝ et al. 2002) that permit accurate of asteroidal-meteorite streams but poses questions regarding computation of the fireball trajectory and pre-atmospheric the origin of such streams given the dissimilar chemical orbit. In addition to these data, high resolution, radiometric character of these two dynamically related bodies. recordings of the fireball brightness were made at three As part of the multi-instrumental study of the fall of the stations, allowing precise timing and light curve Neuschwanstein meteorite, recordings of the airwave reconstruction. associated with the fireball have been examined. These While recovery of a meteorite with a known orbit is a include infrasonic recordings from Germany and the significant observation in and of itself—this has been Netherlands as well as seismically coupled airwave signatures 1605 © Meteoritical Society, 2004. Printed in USA. 1606 D. O. ReVelle et al. on nine seismographs in the immediate region of the fireball These calculations were accomplished entirely in endpoint. These data permit detailed reconstruction of many Cartesian coordinates (as the entry angle was greater than 10° aspects of the shock production associated with the upward from the horizon) using a hydrostatic, perfectly Neuschwanstein fireball, as the precise path in the atmosphere stratified (along the vertical axis), steady state model can be combined with acoustic propagation modeling to atmosphere that was appropriately modified to correspond to disentangle fragmentation and acoustic radiation patterns. In the typical properties of a U.S. Standard Atmosphere particular, by examining infrasound and seismically coupled (indicative of a summer situation in middle latitudes). Both airwave data in conjunction with modeling, we hope to the ambient atmospheric pressure and the vertical air density determine the source altitude for the acoustic signal observed profiles have been calculated using this atmospheric at each station and measure the extent and location of modeling assumption for all entry model computations. fragmentation points along the trajectory and, therefore, set Finally, we have allowed the temporal/spatial wake limits on the deviation (if any) of the acoustic radiation behavior of all of the fragments to correspond to a state of pattern from the standard bolide cylindrical line source model collective wake action of all of the fragments (one of three (cf. ReVelle 1976) for such fragmentation points. available options in the computer code) such that: Additionally, the propagation channels for each portion of the 1. Either the particles are put into the wake and infrasound signal for proximal stations can be determined, permanently “lost” from a luminosity and deceleration and estimates for the total energy of the fireball can be made standpoint, i.e., they always remain in the wake behind based on these recorded airwave data. the original leading fragment; 2. The fragments are put into the wake and brought back DETAILED ENTRY DYNAMICAL SIMULATIONS forward to increase the frontal area and effect both the FOR NEUSCHWANSTEIN luminosity and the deceleration after a short time delay that is a function of the bolide’s speed; or Starting from flight data given in Spurn˝ et al. (2002, 3. There is also the possibility of an intermediate 2003) and using a newly developed FORTRAN computer condition that accomplishes the last option in a quasi- code (ReVelle 2001, 2002a, b), we have been able to evaluate periodic manner. This has not yet been fully the detailed entry behavior of Neuschwanstein and compute implemented in our code. the corresponding dynamics, energetics, expected The 5% porosity value assumed in the list above is most fragmentation effects, and also make quantitative luminosity likely an upper limit to the “true” value for this bolide, predictions (over the panchromatic pass-band region from especially given its true nature as an EL chondrite (Spurn˝ et 360–675 nm) for the bolide. The full details of this code will al. 2002). In general, as both the volume-weighted porosity be reported shortly, including discussions of newly developed and the final number of fragments are allowed to increase, the concepts that separate the traditional single-body entry predicted luminosity of a given bolide will also increase but dynamics treatment from a more thorough analysis including for differing reasons. Thus, we have varied both of these the fragmentation-dominated flow regime. fundamental parameters independently while maintaining We have used the following input values for the various upper limits on each one separately to determine Neuschwanstein meteorite fall, as largely constrained from the sensitivities in the final result. This is discussed further photographic flight data: initial radius = 0.33 m, with a below. Figures 1–5 give the results for the predicted values corresponding entry velocity = 20.95 km/s at an entry angle of: measured from the zenith of 40.25°. We assumed a maximum • panchromatic stellar magnitude versus time; number of eight fragments for a body (based on observations • mass versus time; in Spurn˝ et al. 2002, 2003) the shape of which was assumed • panchromatic luminosity (watts/steradian) versus time; to be spherical (Sf = 1.209, the shape factor ≡ frontal cross- • height versus velocity; sectional area/volume2/3). For µ, the shape change factor = 2/3 • ablation parameter versus time. (which corresponds to a self-similar solution with no shape The observed peak stellar magnitude (or equivalently, the change allowed), and the corresponding D or energetics predicted panchromatic luminosity in watts/steradian) for this parameter of ReVelle = 4.605 (corresponding to 99% of the combination of parameters agrees quite well with the original kinetic energy available at the “top” of the maximum value proposed by Spurn˝ et al. (2002, 2003). The atmosphere having been depleted at the end of the visible predicted mass behavior (initial mass and final mass, etc.) trajectory). The ablation parameter, σ, is a full function of also agrees well with the observations, as does the final height/time in all of these simulations, and a nominal, volume- velocity
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